Media Mix

THE OXFORD COMPANION TO THE BODY

Edited by Colin Blakemore

and Sheila Jennett

Oxford University Press

752 pages, $55

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Overview: A deft interweaving of anatomy and biology with psychology, anthropology, philosophy, religion, literature, history, art history and physical science, this compendium is hardly the dry stuff of typical reference books. Turn to any page and you’re likely to be drawn into an essay on a subject you might not expect to find in an encyclopedia.

What Works: This dense and fascinating volume offers clear explanations of every part of the body, explains important developments in medicine and research, reviews common injuries and diseases, and provides references for further reading. Many of the entries include drawings, photographs, reproductions of famous works of art or anatomical plates. The book begs to be picked up again and again.